Rafael Nadal of Spain, the No. 1 seed at the Open, is no stranger to New York City. (He faces off against Juan Martín del Potro of Argentina in the men’s semifinal at 5:30 p.m. today.)

When the two-time U.S. Open champion (2010 and 2013) isn’t playing tennis, he tries to get out and take in all that is New York.

We recently sat down with him at the Lotte New York Palace in Midtown and asked him what he liked most about the city.

Here’s what he shared:

The theater. “I relax a little bit by seeing a show and being away from the tournament, and I love the music,” he said. “Phantom of the Opera” is his favorite show; he’s seen it several times. He also enjoyed “Les Misérables” and “Mamma Mia.”

The vibe. “New York is a very energetic city, which I especially enjoy when I’m on the court because I have a very special connection with the crowd,” Mr. Nadal said. When he’s not playing tennis, he likes to take walks around the city, but mostly during the day, because he has to be up early. “I have no time for parties,” he said.

The food. “You find the best restaurants here,” he said. He likes Greek, Spanish and Asian, particularly Japanese. Mr. Nadal said that he hopes to open an outpost here of Tatel, an upscale Spanish restaurant that has locations in Madrid, Ibiza and Miami. He is one of several partners, along with the singer Enrique Iglesias.

When he travels to New York, he packs light: a computer, phone and his rackets.

“They’re all I need to do my job,” he said. “If there is anything else I need, I can find it here.”

Weather

The weekend is serving up comfy weather as well: Lots of sun and highs in the low 70s.

Ace.

In the News

• Fines for littering in New York City’s subway will double to $100 from $50 next week. [New York Times]

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Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo took a late-night tour on Wednesday of the No. 6 line beneath Manhattan during which he announced plans to increase littering fines.CreditStephen Speranza for The New York Times

• For New York City teachers who are DACA recipients, an uncertain future lies ahead after the Trump administration canceled the program that allowed them to work in the U.S. [New York Times]

• The police commissioner is weighing whether or not to release body cam footage of a fatal shooting of a Bronx man by officers. [New York Times]

• The restrooms in Amtrak’s part of Penn Station are widely regarded as some of the more repugnant facilities in New York City. Amtrak officials say they plan to make improvements. [New York Times]

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A stall inside a women’s restroom at Penn Station.CreditJeenah Moon for The New York Times

• Top state officials met with President Trump to discuss the Gateway project, a multibillion-dollar tunnel between New York and New Jersey. [New York Times]

• The city and Suffolk County will be reimbursed up to nearly $26 million for protecting President Trump during his transition to the White House. [New York Post]

• In “About New York,” the columnist Jim Dwyer tells us how online conversations show Staten Island politicians were aware of a political operative setting up fake Facebook pages to hurt their opponents. [New York Times]

• A peek at New York City’s growing women-centric co-working spaces. [Village Voice]

• Gene Michael, a Yankee for nearly a half-century, died at 79. [New York Times]

• New York Fashion Week began with a history lesson from Tom Ford, and it was a surprising amount of fun. [New York Times]

• Learn about gentrification and social justice on a tour of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, beginning at Bedford Avenue and North Seventh Street. 2 p.m. [$10 suggested donation]

• The poet David Mills will read his poems about the African Burial Ground in Manhattan, America’s oldest and largest slave cemetery, at the Lewis H. Latimer House Museum in Flushing, Queens. 3 p.m. [Free]

• A screening of the documentary “Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan,” followed by a Q. and A. with the dancer Wendy Whelan and the directors, at the Roxy Cinema in Lower Manhattan. 8 p.m. [$10]

And Finally...

Not only did they get their own art show in Lower Manhattan this summer, but this weekend they’ll be walking down the runway during New York Fashion Week.

Anthony Rubio, a native New Yorker, has been designing “canine couture” for 14 years. We spoke with him ahead of his show tomorrow on the Lower East Side, where he will present his latest collection for pooches (and humans).

How is making clothing for animals different than for humans?

“There is a whole different physiology when you’re designing for a pet. The animal has to be able to go to the bathroom without removing the clothing. The design must be comfortable, because you don’t want the dog chewing at it or taking it off on the runway.”

What’s the price range of your designs?

“Anywhere from $300 to $15,000. The most expensive item I did was a pageant dress for a Maltese for the New York Pet Fashion Show. It had a crown, a faux fur wrap covered in Swarovski crystals, and the gown was convertible — the skirt part came apart and the dog was still wearing the harness.”

How do you choose the dog models?

“I have a who’s who of the famous dogs of Instagram (including Norbert and Henry from Bideawee, a New York pet welfare organization). I use my clients’ dogs, and I always do a rags-to-riches story and feature a rescue animal that can be adopted.”

What’s it like being a dog clothing designer in New York?

“There was time when people would look at it weird, in the beginning when I was doing it. Now you can’t go anywhere where the dog is not wearing something. I mean, my dogs even wear shades.”